Journey-driven transformation is a powerful, end-to-end approach for creating exceptional “customer experiences” that drive revenue, profitability, and sustainable competitive advantage. As said by Ann Lewnes, EVP and CMO of Adobe:
The term ‘customer experience’ won’t exist in the organization of the future. It will be so deeply entrenched in a company’s product, process, and culture that it will be synonymous with the brand and represent the only way to do business.”
What is User Journey Mapping?
A User Journey Mapping(UJM) is a representation of the process a person undergoes to achieve a goal.
UJM starts with a set of user behaviors in its most basic form. First, the schedule is defined by user thoughts and emotions to produce a plot. The tale is simplified and polished, which finally leads to a picture.
What do we get from UJM?
- Better understanding of the end-to-end customer experience (CX)
- Improving cross-functional processes
- Eliminating corporate silos
- Marketing efficiency improvement
- Retaining customers
- Getting a single view of your customer
What’s the Algorithm?
- Gather as much data as you can
- Define your customer persona
- Set customer journey stages, customer goals, and touch points
- Map your persona’s experience
- Add the rest of your findings
Let’s process this journey step by step
1. Gathering Data
- Use whatever customer data you already have
- Make hypothesis
- Get all web data analytics
- Conduct interviews & context inquiries
- Ask customers to take surveys
2. Define User Persona
Persona is a collective image of a particular group of your customers which describes their background, goals, motivations, pain points etc.
3. Set User Journey Stages
The number of stages will differ from business to business. Lets take an example of “PIZZA RESTAURANT”, so the can be like,
- Aware
- Research
- Arrive at the restaurant
- Order pizza
- Wait for the order
- Eat pizza
- Leave the restaurant
- Leave feedback
- Return
4. Define touchpoints
A touchpoint is a moment when a customer communicates with your product, service or general business. It covers website circumstances, ads, personal interactions or a phone call. If customers are aware of the product, log on to a newsletter, buy something or give feedback, they “touch up” your business. We are called “touch points,” and that is why they are so. It can be something like this for our pizza restaurant.
Aware: Billboard, friends, Internet, signboard
Research: website, Yelp, friends
Arriving: Façade, signboards, parking, staff
Ordering: waiter, menu
Waiting: Restaurant interior
5. Adding channels
In contrast to touchpoints, channels are a communication medium between a company and its clients. It is the world in which points of touchpoints occur. It can be a company page or the customer’s telephone if he calls customer assistance. There are online platforms which can provide a response for your customer e.g. live chat, telephone calls, social networking. Others are not, for example, leaflets or billboards. Both can be offline (brick and mortar shop, an airport ad) and digital (a mobile app or website). Channels can be offline. For example of our Pizza Restaurant,
6. Add Problems & Ideas
Time to explore what problems your persona might have when ordering pizza at our restaurant. It could be
Aware & research: Lack of info, few reviews, ads don’t show uniqueness of your offer
Arriving: Troubles locating your place
Ordering: Nothing about calories and poor pizza descriptions
Waiting: Troubles finding restrooms
Conclusion
User Journey Mapping is a process that provides a holistic view of the customer experience by uncovering moments of both frustration and delight throughout a series of interactions. Done successfully, it reveals opportunities to address customers’ pain points, alleviate fragmentation, and, ultimately, create a better experience for your users.
References
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/journey-mapping-101/
https://www.slideshare.net/vedenin/customer-journey-map-a-stepbystep-guide-with-examples
https://uxpressia.com/blog/touchpoints-and-channels-customer-journey-mapping